Digital divide: the real challenge is inclusion

This result is also confirmed by the recently published 2026 State of the Digital Decade Report of the European Commission, according to which, in 2025, 60.4% of the Union's population aged 16 to 74 has at least basic digital skills, compared with the 80% target set for 2030. This target is considered necessary before the digital divide can be regarded as having been effectively reduced.

What is the digital divide?

The digital divide can be defined as the set of vulnerabilities separating those who have effective access to information and communication technologies from those who lack access or are unable to use them fully, safely and effectively.
The digital divide no longer concerns only the lack of connectivity or devices. Increasingly, it concerns people's actual ability to use technology safely, independently and usefully, turning it into effective rights, accessible services and genuine opportunities for social participation.

The four dimensions of the digital divide

In the current transition process, it is essential to understand who can genuinely access and participate in the new digital ecosystem and who, by contrast, risks being excluded. The phenomenon can be examined through four divides that cut across contemporary society.
The first is generational, because not all age groups have the same opportunities for digital literacy and support. Many citizens, particularly older people, have difficulty using online services independently, navigating safely and assessing information correctly.
The second is territorial, because the quality of access varies according to where people live: many areas, especially inland, mountainous and peripheral areas, are often affected by infrastructure delays.
The third is social and cultural and reflects the influence of income, education and cultural capital on the effective use of technology. Those who already have greater resources use digital tools to improve their work, health, education and participation. Those starting from a disadvantaged position, by contrast, risk remaining trapped in a cycle in which social exclusion and digital exclusion reinforce one another.
The fourth, finally, is functional: even when connectivity and minimum skills are available, many citizens encounter unintuitive services, complex procedures and interfaces that are not easily accessible.

The main instruments for tackling the digital divide

Digitalisation cannot simply transfer already complex procedures online; it must redesign services around people's needs. Tackling the digital divide therefore requires structural measures, including investment in infrastructure, stronger skills, accessibility rules and public-service design that does not shift the burden of administrative complexity onto citizens.
Several strategic frameworks are relevant in this context. The European Digital Decade Policy Programme identifies four fundamental areas of action: skills, infrastructure, the digitalisation of businesses and digital public services. The European Accessibility Act reiterates that products and services must be designed so as not to create discrimination. DigComp 3.0 provides a reference framework for defining the skills needed to engage with the digital environment safely, critically and responsibly. The once-only principle establishes a decisive point: citizens should not have to continue providing data and information already held by public administrations, which should instead exchange them through interoperability. This means fewer documents to retrieve, fewer unnecessary steps and less bureaucracy for citizens, especially those in more vulnerable situations.

The impact of artificial intelligence on vulnerable citizens

Artificial intelligence is now making this picture even more complex. Its potential is clear: personalised services, automation, support for accessibility and a greater capacity to respond. Without adequate safeguards, however, AI can also amplify existing inequalities. It may require more advanced skills, create new economic barriers, produce discrimination and penalise the most vulnerable citizens. Its deployment must therefore be assessed in terms of technological performance, fairness, transparency and protection of vulnerable people.
The true measure of digital progress is the ability to combine the introduction of new technologies with a greater capacity for inclusion. Infrastructure, skills, accessibility, interoperability and public responsibility must advance together. Only then digital technology can become an instrument of full citizenship rather than a new source of exclusion.